South Korea donates 5,000 metric tons of rice to refugees
This is the second rice donation WFP in Uganda has received from the Republic of Korea, having received 5,000 metric tons last year. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- According to him, the donation supports Uganda’s efforts to assist refugees who have fled conflict and hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other conflict areas in the region, and will assist the refugees to cope with the initial pressures of displacement, while enabling them to rebuild their lives, and peacefully coexist with their Ugandan neighbours.
NAKIVALE – South Korea has donated 5,000 metric tons of rice to the refugees in Nakivale and other refugee settlements. Officials from the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Agency that feeds the needy, say the donation will feed more than 200,000 refugees.
South Korean ambassador to Uganda Ha Byung-Kyoo said that the Korean government and its people are deeply concerned about the suffering of women and children arriving in difficult humanitarian conditions. He said the donation marks what he called ‘restarting a new life for those forced into migration.’
“The Republic of Korea believes food relief is the first step in enabling refugees to restart their lives and embark on a journey towards self-reliance,”
World Food Programme’s Country Director Mr El-Khidir Daloumd said WFP will use the Korean donation to provide food assistance to 213,000 refugees as part of their monthly food basket.
“The rice will help to diversify diets and improve nutrition among the most vulnerable refugees. The rice will replace maize in the July and August food assistance cycles in Kyaka II, Kyangwali, Nakivale, Oruchinga and Rwamwanja,” he said.
“This is an extremely welcome and generous gift. It is also a significant one, coming from a country that has itself experienced war and displacement, and has since made remarkable efforts to rise from the ruins,” he added.
According to him, the donation supports Uganda’s efforts to assist refugees who have fled conflict and hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other conflict areas in the region, and will assist the refugees to cope with the initial pressures of displacement, while enabling them to rebuild their lives, and peacefully coexist with their Ugandan neighbours.
“WFP is 100 per cent voluntarily-funded organization, so every donation counts towards WFP being able to provide refugees with regular food assistance in support of Uganda’s refugee policy,” the country director said.
This is the second rice donation WFP in Uganda has received from the Republic of Korea, having received 5,000 metric tons last year.
